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Degradation and adsorption behavior of biodegradable plastic PLA under conventional weathering conditions
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Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in the surface water of the Mekong River across multiple countries, finding the highest concentrations near urban centers in Vietnam and Cambodia. Fibers and fragments were most common, with polyester and polypropylene dominating.
With the increasing pollution of plastics and the widespread use of polylactic acid (PLA), its weathering process in the natural environment needs to be studied. Hence, we investigated the characteristics of PLA under conventional weathering conditions and the adsorption behavior between PLA and tetracycline (TC). The results showed cracks and holes in the weathered PLA surface, an increase in oxygen-containing functional groups, and a 77.94 % decrease in contact angle, causing more amount of TC to be adsorbed. The maximum adsorption capacity of PLA for TC is approximately 3.5 times higher than before weathering due to multilayer physical adsorption. Nevertheless, the surface of the microplastics weathered by seawater did not change significantly. This work elucidates the weathering mechanism of biodegradable microplastics under abiotic conditions, thus correctly assessing the difference in natural and conventional degradability of biodegradable plastics.
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Microplastics in river water: occurrence, weathering, and adsorption behaviour
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Researchers examined microplastics in river water, characterizing their occurrence, degree of weathering, and capacity to adsorb co-contaminants. The study highlights microplastics as vectors that can transport and re-release other pollutants in freshwater systems.
The transport and vertical distribution of microplastics in the Mekong River, SE Asia
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Researchers measured microplastic levels throughout the water column of the Mekong River in Cambodia and Vietnam, finding concentrations increased significantly from rural to urban areas. Most microplastics were fibers, predominantly polyester, and 86% were transported within the water column rather than at the surface. The study reveals that surface-only sampling methods substantially underestimate actual microplastic levels in major rivers.
Classification of microplastic characteristics in surface water and sediments in the lower Mekong river (Vietnam) in the dry season
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Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution and polymer composition at 17 locations along the Mekong River in Vietnam during the April 2024 dry season, collecting samples from both surface water and riverbed sediments and characterizing them by optical microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. They found that microplastic densities were higher in more urbanized areas and were influenced by geographical location, transportation activities, population density, and local hydrological characteristics.
Settling Velocities of Environmentally Weathered Plastic Fibers from the Mekong River in Southeast Asia
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Researchers measured the settling velocities of environmentally weathered plastic fibers collected from the Mekong River, finding that weathering significantly alters fiber density and shape, affecting how fibers sink and accumulate in aquatic sediments.
Occurrence, abundance, and distribution of microplastics pollution: an evidence in surface tropical water of Klang River estuary, Malaysia
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Researchers measured microplastic abundance, size, shape, and polymer type in surface water of the Klang River estuary in Malaysia — a highly urbanized waterway — finding concentrations among the highest reported in Southeast Asian estuaries, with industrial packaging materials and synthetic textiles as the dominant sources.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.